Check-rein attachment



(No Model.)

0. L. BARD".

CHECK RBIN ATTACHMENT.

No. 345,404. Patented July 13, 1886 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE OEPHAS LITTLE BARD, OF SAN BUENAVENTURA, CALIFORNIA.

CHECK-REIN ATTACHM ENT.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 345,404, dated July 13, 1886.

Application filed April 20, 1886. Serial No. 199,562. (No model.)

T0 on whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CEPHAS LITTLE BARD, of San Buenaventura, county of Ventura, State of California, have invented an Improvement in Check Reins and Hooks; and I hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same.

My invention relates to that class of check reins and hooks which enable the driver, un-

aided by any extra line or string in his hands,

to check or uncheck his horse or horses at will by the action of the driving reins or lines alone and without rising from his seat or'leaving the vehicle, which said class is fullyexemplified by the Letters Patent issued to me September 29, 1885, and numbered, respectively, 327,056, 327,057, and 327,058. In all of these patents the check-rein is attached to the driving lines or reins at a point behind the plane of the pad, and is disengaged from the hook and reengaged therewith by the action of said lines.

My present invention embodies the same principle of operation, and is, in fact, an im-. provement of Patent N 0. 327,056 especially. Reference may be therefore made to said patent in connection with the full description hereinafter made.

My invention consists in a checlerein having in addition to the regular checking-slot of my first reins a limiting-slot located back of the checking-slot and acting as a limiting-check after the disengagement of the one in front, and in a check-hook, the pivoted lever-arm of which has in its rear end several'openings or slots in different vertical planes, so that the check-rein may be adjusted to suit different sizes of horses and heights of vehicles, whereby, no matter what may be the relative positions of the horse and driver, the perfect operation of the device may be had. 7

My invention further consists in an improvement in the checking-slot of the check-rein by making it in several independent short slots, whereby the horse may be checked at different heights.

The object of my invention will hereinafter appear.

. Referringv to the accompanying drawings,

Figure l is aplan of my improved check-rein.

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of my improved check-hook. Fig. 3 is a view showing the application of the rein and hook to the pad and to the driving-reins of single harness. Fig. at is a view showing the application of the same to the pad and the driving-lines of double harness. Fig. 5 is a plan of my check-rein, showing the improvement in the checkingslot.

' A is the check-rein. B is the checking-slot therein, similar to the slot shown in my previous patents.

O is the limiting-slot, located in the rein at a point behind the slot B and far enough back to allow for the depression of the horses head to an unchecked position, in which he can be perfectly comfortab1e,without allowing him to let his head down too far.

- D is the check-hook as a whole. It consists of a standard, d, screwed into the pad and having a forwardly-extending arm, d, with a guide-aperture, d*, in it. In the top of the standard is pivoted the lever-arm (1 the forward end'of which is formed into a hook, d*, and its rear end has made in it a series of apertures or slots, (P, in different vertical planes.

The application of therein and hook will be seen by reference to Figs. 3 and 4.

In Fig. 3, E is the pad, and F are the drivingreins,of single harness. The check-hook D is properly secured in the pad. The check-rein is to be secured in front to the head-gear. It thence passes back through the aperture (1 in the arm d of the standard (1, and through any of the apertures or slots (1 in the rear end of the lever-arm d Its rear end is attached to one of the driving-reins at a point behind the plane of the pad,which said point I shall presently more clearly define.

In the double harness, as shown in Fig. 4, the check-rein is attached to the driving-lines by the usual buckle at the point of junction by the rear end of the lever-arm is raised and its hook'end depressed. Thus the slot of the cheek-rein will be disengaged from the hook end and the horses may then lower their heads.

' This is the operation of the check and hook as previously patented.

The object of the limitingslot O is as follows: \Vhen the horse is normally checked,the hook d is engaged with the slot B. Vhen unchecked, by means of the driver raising and drawing back the driving-lines, as described, the check-rein is drawn forward by thelowering of the horses head; but when the slot 0 is drawn forward it is engaged by the hook d, and, although the horse stands unchecked and at case, he cannotlower his head any farther. This is a great advantage, as he is prevented from fouling the driving-lines, and also from drawing the driving-lines from the dash-board. If, however, the driver wishes to lower his head still farther for the purpose of allowing him to drink from a stream or trough, he can do so by again lifting and drawing back the driving-lines. Owing to the shape of the hook no obstruction is offered to drawing back the check-rein, as the front end of the slot 0 readily slips over the hook, even when its point is not depressed. It is obvious that, if so disposed, I can provide the back portion of the check-rein with more than one such slot as O.

In Fig. 5 the cheek-rein has an improvement in the slot B. This, instead of being a single long slot, is made up of several short independent slots, 1). The object of this is to afford engagement of the hook d, so that the horse can be checkedat variable heights at the option of the driver.

Provided with such a cheek-rein the driver is better able to control akieking or runaway horse, as by checking him in the upper slots it is impossible for the horseto lower his head, and unless his head is lowered he is unable to kick or to run. The backward motion of the check-rein is in no wise interfered with.

Both of the chcck-reins are intended for either overdraw or gag check-rein, and are attached in front to the head-gear. In single harness they are attached, as before ex plained, at the back to one of either drivinglines, preferably to the left, by means of a buckle permanently attached to the drivingline at a suitable distance back of the pad. In double harness they are attached to the buckle which connects the outside drivingline with inside line. If so desired, they can be attached by means of a buckle to the main driving-line, either above or below its junction with the inside line. The portion of the check-rein back of the pad should be slack, so that in ordinary driving no tension is made on the check-rein. \Vhen it is desired to uncheck the horse, this slack is readily taken up by raising the driving-line. So, also, in case of a runaway, when traction is made on the check-rein (the slack being taken up) the driver is better enabled to hold the horse and to prevent him from taking the bit between his teeth. v

The cheek-hook Ddiffers from the hook described in Patent N 0. 327,056 in many respects. It is open and more simple,an(l cheaper in construction.

For the purpose of adjusting my present check-hook to horses and vehicles of different sizes the vertical series of guide-slots d are provided in the rear end of the pivoted lever-arm d. Their operation is as follows: Figs. 3 and 4 represent harness provided with my invention on an ordinary-sized horse attached to an ordinary-sized vehicle. The check-rein passes through the upper slot of the rear end of the lever arm (1. The driver by simply drawing back and lifting up the driving lines and without rising from his seat can readily uncheck the horse. If, however, the horse (the harness being unchanged) is removed and attached to a lower vchicle,the driver will find it impossible, perhaps, to uncheck him without raising his hands very high or without rising to his feet; but if he now passes the check-rein through one ofthelower slots he will find that he can uncheck the horse by simply raising his hands a little above their level in ordinary driving, in fact, just as easily as he accomplished the result when seated in the high vehicle. If a tall horse is attached to a low-seated vehicle, the checkrein should pass through one of the lower slots. So, also, should it pass for a high-seated vehicle and a low-sized horse. It should pass through the upper slots if ordinary sized horses and ordinary-sized vehicles are used.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The check-rein A, secured to the headgear at its forward end and to the drivinglines at its rear end, as described, said rein having the slot B, and the slot 0 back of the slot B, in combination with a check-hook on the pad having a hooked forward end, (1, adapted to engage both slots independently, substantially as and for the purpose described.

2. The cheek-rein A, secured at its forward end to the head-gear and at its rear end to the driving-lines at a point behind the plane of the pad, said rein having the checking-slot B and the limiting-slot G behind, in combination with a check-hook on the pad having a pivoted slotted and hooked lever-arm, (1 for guiding the check-rein and engaging its slots, substantially as described.

3. The check-rein A, having the checkingslot B, and the limiting-slot G at a point back of the slot B, said rein being attached at its forward end to the head-gear and at its rear end to the driving-lines at a point behind the plane of the pad,in combination with the checkhook D on the pad, comprising the stand and (I, having the slotted guide-arm d, and the lever-arm d, pivoted in the standard and having a hooked forward end, (1, for engaging the slots of the check-rein, and a slotted rear end through which the rein passes, substantially as and for the purpose herein described.

4. The check-rein A, attached at its forward end to the head-gear and at its rear end to the driving-lines at a point behind the plane of the pad, said rein having a series of independent short checking-slots, 1;, as shown, in combination with a pivoted hook on the pad for'engaging any of the short slots, whereby the horse may be checked at different heights,

substantially as described.

5. The check-rein A, attached at its forward end to the head-gear and at its rear end to the driving-lines at a point behind the plane of the pad, said rein having independent short checking-slots b, in combination with the pivoted lever-arm d of the check-hook, said arm having a guide-slot in its rear end through which the rein passes, and a hook on its forward end for engaging any of the short slots 1), substantially as and for the purpose herein described.

6. The cheek-rein A, attached at its forward end to the head-gear and at its rear end to the driving-lines at a point behind the plane of the pad, said rein having the independent short checking-slots b and the limiting-slots G fartherback, in combination with the piveted arm d of the check-hook, said arm having a guide-slot in its rear end through which the rein passes, and a hook on its forward end .for engaging the slots 1) and O, substantially as and for the vpurpose herein described.

7. In combination with a slotted check-rein, the check-hook D on the pad, and comprising the standard d, and the pivoted arm (1 having a hook, 61*, on its forward end for engaging the slotted check-rein, and a vertical series of guide slots or apertures in its rear end for receiving and vertically adjusting the checkrein, substantially as described.

8. In combination with the check-rein A, having the checking-slot B and the limitingslot 0, said check-rein being attached in front to the head-gear and at its rear end to the driving-lines, at a point back of the plane of the pad, the check-hook D on the pad and comprising the standard d, having slotted guide-arm d, and the pivoted lever-arm if, having a hook, d, on its forward end and a vertical series of guide-slots, (1 in its rear end, substantially as and for the purpose herein described.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

CEPHAS LITTLE BARD.

Witnesses:

EDWIN TAGGART, ORESTES ORR. 

